Currency
The local currency is the
Jordanian Dinar, symbol JD,
which is often called the “jaydee”.
There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 JD
notes. The dinar is divided onto
100
piasters (pronounced
“pee-aster”) of 1000 fils
(“fills”). The fils is the unit
most commonly used and you will
usually see prices written as
4,750 (which is 4 JD and 750
fils). Currency can be exchanged
at major banks, exchange booths
and at most hotels. Street
money-changers are best avoided.
Exchange rates are set daily by
the Jordanian Central Bank.
Time
October – March: Greenwich Mean
Time plus 2 hours (G.M.T. + 2)
April – September: Greenwich
Mean Time plus 3 hours (G.M.T. +
3)
Jordan is seven hours ahead of
US Eastern Time
Clothing
Jordan is primarily a Muslim
country, although the freedom of
all religions is protected.
Muslim women’s clothing often
covers their arms, legs and hair
Western women are not subject to
these customs, but very
revealing clothing is never
appropriate and conservative
dress is advisable for both men
and women in the old part of
Amman (Downtown), and outside
the cities. Shorts are rarely
worn by either sex, and would be
out of place in the downtown
Amman area. Topless sunbathing
is prohibited and one-piece
swimsuits are preferred,
although two-piece swimsuits are
acceptable at hotel pools.
Language
The official language of Jordan
is Arabic, but English is widely
spoken – especially in the
cities. Many Jordanians have
travelled or have been educated
abroad so French, German,
Italian and Spanish are also
spoken, but to a lesser extent.
When Arabic is written in Jordan
using the Latin alphabet,
English spelling is applied
however these spellings can be
interpreted in various ways, the
spelling for example of street
addresses can vary widely. For
this reason, the sounds of the
words is a much better guide
than the spelling. Speaking
Arabic is easier than you might
think and attempting a few basic
words will gain you respect from
the locals and is a good way to
break the ice. The Jordanian
people are extremely
understanding and will help you
whenever they are able.
Working Hours
Friday is the weekly holiday.
Banks, government offices and
most businesses are closed on
Saturdays as well. Many
businesses, including airline
offices, travel agencies and
some shops also close on
Thursday afternoon, although
department stores and
supermarkets remain open. A few
businesses and shops close for
some of Sunday.
|
Business Type |
Business Hours |
|
Banks |
08.30- 15 |
|
Business Offices |
08.30-13.00 &
15.30-18.30 |
|
Government Offices |
08.00-15.00 |
|
Shops |
Flexible but
typically
09.30-13.30 &
15.30-18.00 |
|
Please note that
earlier closings
apply during the
month of Ramadan |
Public Holidays
Banks, businesses, government
offices and many shops close all
day for public holidays.
|
Business Type |
Business Hours |
|
New Year’s Day
|
1st January |
|
King Abdullah II’s
Birthday |
30th January |
|
Labor Day |
1st May |
|
The late King
Hussein’s Birthday |
14th November |
|
Christmas Day
|
25th December |
A number of public holidays are
not fixed. These include Easter
and the following Islamic
Holidays, which are based on the
Lunar calendar:
-
Eid al-Fitr A 4 or 5-day
holiday marking the end of
Ramadan
-
Eid al-Adha A feast at the
end of the Hajj, or month of
pilgrimage to Mecca
-
First of Muharam Islamic New
Year
-
Eid al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj
Celebrating the visit of the
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to
heaven
-
The Birthday of Prophet
Mohammed (PBUH)
Shopping
Wherever you go in Jordan you
will find plenty of
opportunities to shop. For
visitors there is a wide range
of locally made handicrafts and
other goods available at all the
popular sites as well as within
the boutiques of the leading
hotel and at the various visitor
centers. There you will find
hand-woven rugs and cushions,
beautifully embroidered items
and clothing, traditional
pottery, glassware, silver
jewelers embedded with
semi-precious stones, Bedouin
knives, coffee pots, narghiles (hubble
bubble), marquetry work,
antiques and other artifacts.
The list is endless and about as
varied as you can imagine. Take
time to visit the souks in
Jordan’s larger towns and
cities. These are treasure
troves for those seeking
something a little bit out of
the ordinary. Within the souks
are also excellent gold and
silver outlets, where some great
bargains can be found. Also
worth visiting are the busy
market shops especially for
exotic spices, herbs and
seasonings. Both Amman and Aqaba
offer sophisticated shops and
boutiques selling the very
latest fashions in jewellery,
clothing, accessories, leather
and electronic goods.
Weights & Measures
Jordan uses the metric system
Accessibility
Visitors with a valid passport
may obtain a visa at any
Jordanian embassy, consulate, or
legation abroad. A visa can also
be obtained at Amman’s Queen
Alia International Airport or at
any other border crossing except
King Hussein Bridge and the
ferryboat from Egypt. Visas are
valid for 2 weeks, but can be
extended at any police station.
No inoculations are required for
entry into Jordan, although
preventive shots for hepatitis,
polio, tetanus and typhoid are
recommended.
Newspapers
The main English-language daily
is The Jordan Times. A weekly
English language paper, The
Star, is published on Thursdays
and has a French language
supplement. Foreign newspapers
are available at hotels and some
shops.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are accepted at
hotels, restaurants and larger
shops, including American
Express, Visa, Diners Club, and
MasterCard. Please note that
many smaller shops still prefer
cash payment in the Jordanian
currency, and it’s essential for
shopping in the local souks.
Radio & Television
Television
Jordan television broadcasts in
English and French on Channel 2.
Daily programs listings can be
found in The Jordan Times. CNN
and other international stations
are available via satellite at
larger hotels.
Radio
Radio Jordan: 24hr
English-language service on
96.3FM
BBC World Service: 24hr
English-language service on
103.1FM.
Radio Sawa: 24hr
English-language service on 98.1
FM
Electrical Current
220 AC volts, 50 cycles,
requiring rounded two-prong wall
plugs. Visitors from the US will
need a transformer which most
hotels can provide.
Postal Services
As well as post offices, most 4
and 5-star hotels offer postal
services.
Post office opening hours are:
Summer: Sat-Thurs 0700-1900, Fri
0700-1300
Winter: Sat-Thurs 0700-1700, Fri
0700-1300
There are also a number of
international courier services,
including
DHL, FedEx, TNT International,
UPS, etc.
Population
The population of Jordan has
grown rapidly over the last
fifty years or so to more than 5
million people. Around 80% of
the population live in urban
areas,
with approximately 2 million
living in the capital, Amman.
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